Chapter 115: Trouble
The degree of Kamizuki Kaede’s nova transformation deepened with the passage of time. When Pandora, the first to respond to suppress the outbreak, arrived at the scene, she found that Kaede had completely distorted her former appearance, having transformed into a towering monster several meters tall.
Startled by the rampaging giant, the lead Pandora was taken aback.
“An R-type!”
Another Pandora arrived simultaneously. Seeing her companion’s expression, she snapped, “What are you standing there for? Take it down quickly!”
“Yes, senior!”
The Pandora launched her attack. A strange symbiotic bio-weapon materialized in her hand, wielded with overwhelming force as she fiercely pierced the nova.
More Pandoras soon arrived, and the battle intensified.
Zhao Nan referred to the ranking list of the academy’s Pandoras, simultaneously observing the fight. First- and second-year students barely had a chance to intervene. The third-year students served as the main combat force.
“Even those ranked beyond 50 in the third year already possess this kind of power...” Zhao Nan frowned.
The battle did not last long before a female Pandora suddenly shot forward with electric speed, her weapon striking with invincible power and shattering the R-type nova in one blow.
“That’s Senior Yumi Kin!”
“As expected of the academy’s third-ranked third-year! She took down the R-type nova with a single strike!”
Amid the cheers, Zhao Nan quietly rubbed his nose and slipped away.
“This skill can strike general Pandoras. For those ranked within the top 30 of the third year, if they can’t match their speed, they’ll suffer a humiliating defeat... Controllers have no chance against Pandoras...?”
Perhaps the graduated Pandoras are even stronger. Although Yutomo once said that the current overall strength of Pandoras has weakened since the main storyline, today’s battle suggests they are by no means weak.
As one of the behind-the-scenes bosses of the Pandora organization, the Bridge family must at least have several powerful Pandoras around its heir...
“Better to get a few more stigmata…”
...
“Alert... High-energy reaction detected! Target area B! Academy forces mobilize!”
...
“Alert! Target area A!”
...
“Alert! ...”
...
Ten days have passed, and four Pandora rampage incidents have occurred. What on earth is going on?
In the headmaster’s office of Nitix Academy, the headmistress, still graceful but currently furrowing her brows—wrinkles deepening as if aging ten years—looked sternly at a mature woman before her.
“Can you give me an explanation?”
“All we’ve been able to confirm are the identities of the rampaging students. Worse, their stigmata are completely shattered and unrecoverable. Another commonality: before each Pandora’s rampage, their stigmata—the ones purified from their controllers—are reclaimed.”
The woman hesitated, then frowned. “Also, through identity verification, these four rampaging Pandoras all have poor reputations within the academy...”
“Do you suspect revenge?”
“I don’t know... Although they know each other, there’s little interaction between them. It’s unlikely the same person is behind all this.”
The headmistress sighed again. “This is a serious matter… The higher-ups have noticed. For now, the academy is on high alert. All areas will be patrolled day and night. The academy carnival duel events are suspended, and private contact between Pandoras and controllers is strictly forbidden... Effective immediately, the entire academy is under a weapons ban!”
...
...
“Currently, there are ten stigmata... but no adverse reactions yet, and there’s still capacity left...”
Zhao Nan lay by the artificial lake in the academy's small woods, idly watching the blue sky and white clouds. Since yesterday, controllers and Pandoras have attended separate classes. Whether eating or leaving class, dedicated personnel monitor them—like being in prison.
Meanwhile, Yutomo was diligently training in the academy gym. The technology of this era was quite advanced; the equipment developed allowed Yutomo’s body to strengthen a bit each day. Although slight, a year of such training guaranteed a qualitative improvement in physique.
As for Zhao Nan himself, his own strength seemed to have reached a limit; the past few days’ training had brought no improvement.
Unless he obtained something like enhanced genes, his current state was the maximum for an ordinary human—excluding all other abilities, of course.
“The atmosphere is tense everywhere...”
Zhao Nan stretched lazily, feeling no responsibility as the instigator of these events.
“Finina should be arriving soon... Better to hold off for now. There’s still a long road ahead.”
Squinting, Zhao Nan yawned slightly and turned on his side, seemingly about to fall asleep.
...
Suddenly, a strange, piercing sound shattered the air, like something tearing through it. A long crack split open the grass, extending into the artificial lake, stretching far.
Two huge splashes erupted, transforming into a dense mist. Zhao Nan frowned as droplets dampened his hair.
Two figures darted swiftly through the woods. In a flash, they collided midair, sparks flying from their clash, then parted to land on the ground, facing each other tensely.
“Even a lower-year student has such speed! No wonder you’re so reckless.”
“You’re quite formidable yourself, senior.”
This was Akaliz, the second-ranked third-year Pandora. Her opponent was none other than Aoi and Ye.
To be able to hold her own against the academy’s second-ranked Pandora while still a first-year student was indeed extraordinary.
Zhao Nan stood up, preparing to leave.
Though he preferred to watch such battles to gather data on Pandora combat strength, he did not want to be openly exposed before these two.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Before he could take two steps, a gust of wind swept past him, transforming into a sharp blade that sliced diagonally through a nearby tree.
As the tree fell, Zhao Nan turned and waved his hand. “Ladies, I have no intention of interfering with your fight. Please continue; you can ignore me.”
“Then you’ll inform the academy?” Akaliz sneered. “I won’t allow that possibility.”
The academy had indeed imposed a weapons ban; anyone caught would be confined.
“Zhao Nan!?”
Aoi and Ye had clearly recognized him and whispered his name.
Akaliz frowned. “Aoi and Ye, wasn’t it supposed to be a one-on-one fight? You actually called a controller? Looks like I overestimated you!”
“He’s not my controller,” Aoi coldly replied.
“In that case... suit yourselves.” Zhao Nan chuckled and turned to leave again.
“Don’t go!”
Zhao Nan ignored them. Let these two Pandoras fight all they wanted—even if they wrecked the whole academy, he wouldn’t get involved.
Akaliz snorted coldly, her figure flashing as the air currents from her rapid movement shredded the grass beneath her feet. In less than a foot, she appeared right before Zhao Nan!
(To be continued...)
P.S.: Someone asked how many updates per day.
I say... for a full quota of tens of thousands of words, of course it’s four updates...
Subscription numbers aren’t great; please subscribe and support me!